


penny pincher

by magicalgirlmaximoff



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Im just trying to capture 2014 comics tumblr energy, cancel bruce wayne 2020, i only want to ever write after hours batfam, idk what this is but here you go, is there even still a bat fandom?, timsteph can be read as platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicalgirlmaximoff/pseuds/magicalgirlmaximoff
Summary: stephanie brown is going to start a class war.
Relationships: Stephanie Brown & Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake
Comments: 1
Kudos: 44





	penny pincher

**Author's Note:**

> This is the result of me currently having no job, a little too much wine, and relating to Stephanie Brown too much when I was fourteen.

The only thing worse than Gotham was Gotham in the summertime. Despite being unbearably humid, the villains seemed to be out more than ever. It was inconsiderate, Stephanie felt because the Batgirl suit was not a comfortable thing to wear in mid-July. Breathable fabric, her ass. It practically glued itself to her skin. And with all of the kids free from school, the Bat had them working overtime. Because that was the thing. He didn’t care that on top of her crime-fighting, she had the luxurious summer job of being a lifeguard at the Gotham Heights Y (it was further than the dingy pool by her apartment, but the pay was so much better). 

But these thoughts all made her feel shallow and selfish. So, she got hot and sweaty, what’s the big deal? Batgirl protected people. She was doing something bigger than herself. But after her “nightshift” on rooftops, she’d just go work another eight hours for just over minimum wage. Steph wasn’t totally sure what Bruce did on the daily, but she assumed it was something like, sign some papers he didn’t read and make $100,000 a minute. That was just a guess though. 

She must have grumbled her thoughts out loud, because Tim asked, “Did you say something?” as he pushed open the glass door of their regular coffeehouse spot. 

It’s a sort of upscale place trying to capture something rustic, but of course, it doesn’t feel authentic. Stephanie was more than content with cheap drive-through coffee, but Tim insisted the place has the best coffee in the city. However, she’d also seen him chug a bottle of Mountain Dew spiked with 5-Hour Energy. Multiple times. So, she isn’t sure why coffee quality is important. 

But, it was a rare day off from yelling at five-year-olds not to run on the pool deck, and she knew Tim likes to make sure she enjoys her free time. 

Stephanie made a small hum as she looked up from her feet trudging against the ground. She sees the laces of her left sneaker are untied but she didn't stop to tie them. 

“Must have been my inner monologue,” she said absent mindedly. “Bad habit.” 

“I’m sure it was interesting,” he said over his shoulder, moving to the counter. There’s only one other customer in the store, an elderly man waiting for a drink at the other end of the coffee bar. Tim reached in his pocket for his wallet as a barista greets him. 

Tim always paid for Stephanie’s coffee. She isn’t sure if it was a chivalry thing, or because he knows how much money stressed her out. No matter how much she'd protest she can pay her own damn bill, he always find a way to sweep in and pay at the last second. It doesn’t help that she really only has one coffee order, so he always knew what to get her. A caramel latte, iced if it’s during the months of April to August. She isn’t the kind of monster to drink a warm drink on a warm day and caramel is perfect (because she likes things sweet but not sugary). The frappuccinos Damian either characteristically or uncharacteristically enjoys, she can't totally decide which one it is, make her teeth hurt. Tim orders coffee black. Always warm. Because he is a monster. 

“What can I get you guys?” the barista asked. He’s lanky with red hair, a freckled face, and wearing a beanie despite it being over 80 degrees. 

“Can I get a...uhhh...medium-sized dark roast and a medium iced caramel latte?” Tim asked. Stephanie heard him pause as if he was uncertain, even though their order hasn’t changed in years. 

“Actually, that latte will be separate,” Stephanie said, hearing herself pipe up before her brain processes what she’s saying. 

“Steph, it’s fine. I got it,” Tim assured her as he hands the barista his card. His tone is relaxed and natural, not aggressive or chauvinistic. He just likes paying for her coffee. They’ve outgrown trying to prove anything to each other, which she appreciates. 

“Well, at least let me pay you back,” Stephanie said. “I think I have some cash.” 

She reached into the back pocket of her shorts. Grabbing for the crumbled wad of bills she knows is at the bottom, before she felt her phone fly out of her pocket. She muttered a curse as she watches the phone bounce across the hard floor before sliding, screen-side faced down. Now she wished she’d caved in and had spent the extra $40 on a screen protector. 

Bracing herself, she gingerly picked up her dropped phone and flipped it over to see the screen. The device lit up behind a large, spiderweb-like crack across the glass. 

“Fuck,” she swore, which earned her a judgmental glance from the elderly man who leaves with his drink. 

“That sucks,” Tim said over her shoulder. Behind him, she saw another barista making the drinks he successfully paid for. “Are you going to get a new one?” 

She looked at him, perplexed. 

“A new phone? Like a whole new phone?” 

“Yeah,” he said as if he’s shocked by her surprise. “That model’s at least three years old and a new one just came out. There’s double the storage and the camera is incredible, like holy shit. Plus, I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live with a giant crack in my screen. This one time, Bart —” 

“I don’t really have money to do that right now,” Steph sulked, cutting him off. “Is that what you’d too? Just buy a whole new phone?” 

She watched Tim look a little embarrassed. He reached his arm behind his neck to scratch the back of his head. 

“Maybe I could fix it? Or replace the screen? Babs says my software skills are great but my hardware? It’s something I gotta work on.” 

“Look it’s no big deal. It’s just a phone,” she said. She slide the broken thing back into her pocket, ignoring the cash that lingered in her shorts. 

“I could buy you a new one,” he offered sheepishly. 

“I think I hate rich people,” she said, letting the inner monologue be said out loud. 

This thought became her solidified ideology a few nights later.

It’s well past three in the morning on a nearly record-high night for both crime and heat. Stephanie, all but collapsed onto a cot set up against the only wall without a desk or monitor. She threw her Batgirl suit into a sticky pile in the corner, glad Barbara’s attention was focused on her screens. Steph was sure she’d get slack for throwing her dirty clothes around.

See, the best-kept secret in heat-stricken Gotham was Oracle’s computer room. The thermostat was always kept low to keep Babs’ computers cool, and Stephanie believed the room had the most comfortable temperature in the whole city. The AC unit in Stephanie’s apartment went out and her landlord had yet to respond to her texts. The man conveniently only ever appeared around once a month to pick up the rent. Barbara suggested Stephanie stay at the Manor for a few days, as it also had air conditioning and she could sleep in an actual bed. But Tim, Cass, and Damian were out of town on a mission, which Steph totally wasn’t bitter about, and she felt weird about being alone in a house with Bruce Wayne. Even if the house was freaking massive. Staying in the Cave was weird too, so she begged Babs to let her sleep over for a night or two. Barbara seemed fine with it, though she had one rule.

“Please just don’t bother me when I’m working,” she asked. “And don’t take that too personally. It’s a rule I have for Nightwing too.”

This led Stephanie to crash on the cot, beads of sweat still gathering on her forehead, despite the cool temperature of the room. She played with the tip of her blonde ponytail, twirling it in her fingers. She knew she’d have to shower soon and wash the suit, along with the sports bra and shorts she was wearing. That means she’d need quarters for the washing machine if she wanted to wash them at her apartment. 

She’d never tell Bruce but sometimes she’d wash her suit in her building’s laundry room. A huge security risk, of course. But she wore it a lot, and sometimes going to the Manor to have Alfred take care of it was just too much. 

“All billionaires are evil, right?” Steph asked as she looked up at the ceiling. She supposed she could describe her current mood as “hot and bothered” but absolutely not in a fun way. 

“I feel like this is going to count as bothering me,” Barbara said, still furiously typing on her keyboard.

“I mean Lex Luther is like, megarich, and outside of trying to kill Superman, I’m sure he has a million human rights violations,” Stephanie said, “which honestly should be considered supervillain-y too.”

Barbara stayed silent and Steph watched the glowing screens move and shift as the Oracle worked.

“You could pull up ethics reports on Wayne Enterprises, right?” Stephanie asked. “If we wanted to? We could pull up everything they try to hide from people. Isn’t that like, 70% of what you do?” 

She heard Barbara let out a huff but she stops typing and turns around.

“You know, Wayne Enterprises is one of the most ethical corporations out there. Their work for renewable energy is revolutionary and they ensure workers are paid actual, livable wages.” Barbara said. It’s hard for Stephanie to read her tone. It seems to be annoyed more than anything else. 

“Are you just saying that because he paid for everything in this room?” Stephanie retorted.

“No. And Wayne Enterprises didn’t pay for everything in this room. Oracle has a great number of benefactors.”

“The Justice League doesn’t count, because he practically owns them too.”

“Even besides the Justice League,” Barbara said as she rolled her eyes. “And you’re right, mostly. About billionaires. Honestly, I’m concerned about how he spends nearly a million dollars on philanthropy fundraiser parties when he could have just donated that money in the first place.”

Stephanie laughed a little but bite her lip as the truth does dawn on her.

“Yeah, but where else are we going to get free champagne?”

Barbara made a face of mock-offense.

“You’ve been drinking the champagne? I know for a fact your twenty-first isn’t until August,” she joked, As if she didn't know Tim stole a bottle of scotch from a liquor cabinet in the Manor for him and Steph to drink on a particularly rough night. Barbara found the two asleep in the Cave, practically on top of each other, with the almost empty bottle at their feet. 

Suddenly, an idea hits her, and Stephanie sits up a little too quickly. The cot shakes with her movement.

“Do you have access to his bank account? Or any Wayne account?” she asks excitedly.

Barbara doesn’t say anything as she looks at Stephanie. She sighs and returns to her keyboard. Steph hears her typing.

“I’m not saying I do have access to accounts. I’m not saying I can get access either. However, If I could,” Barbara paused, “where do you think the money should go?”

Stephanie laughed nervously.

“Are you serious?” she asked.

It was going to be an even busier summer.

**Author's Note:**

> I only ever want to write the Bats because I like feeling like a #teen again. I really like doing character concept stuff, like, "steph becomes a comrade." However, I don't know how to write, so the ideas go nowhere. 
> 
> [Support](https://www.theokraproject.com/) [Black](https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/)  
> [Trans](https://marshap.org/) [Lives.](https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/)


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